Catching Up With The Common Good

MCKEEN CENTER OPPORTUNITIES

Denning Summer Fellowship Info Session 
Monday, December 8th, 4:30pm 
McKeen Center Hub, Banister Hall 
More information: https://cglink.me/2dK/r1959039 
Are you a current junior passionate about non-profits or government? Come learn about the McKeen Center’s Denning Summer Fellowship at our 12/8 info session! The Denning is a fully funded summer internship, open to rising seniors, which supports their full-time summer work with self-selected US-based non-profits and government organizations. Students apply to the fellowship in late January, but do not need to have an internship commitment at that point. They work with their organization in the summer and then find a way to incorporate what they learned in the summer into their senior year academic experience. At this info session, hear from past fellows and program staff about finding an organization, the application process, and the Denning summer experience! (More general fellowship information below). 

Apply Today! Building Bridges Spring Dialogue Cohort
Application Deadline: Friday, December 12^th, Noon EST
Building Bridges Program Application
Apply today for our Building Bridges at Bowdoin (BBB) spring dialogue cohort! Do you enjoy learning from ideologically diverse peers with different backgrounds and sharing your perspectives? Does good conversation excite you or do you want to practice your conversation skills? BBB brings together an ideologically diverse cohort of 8-10 students to learn about dialogue and then participate in a series of 5 topic-specific dialogues in Spring Semester. Participants will receive a $250 stipend for participating in the sessions and completing a capstone project. We are currently accepting applications for the Spring cohort, which will mostly meet on Fridays from 2:30-4p, starting in January. More information about this program can be found on the What Matters website and questions can be directed to Tom Ancona in the McKeen Center.

Job Opportunity with the McKeen Center!
Community Service Orientation Trips
Apply by Friday, 12/12 
We are hiring a Program Coordinator to help run our Fall 2026 Orientation Trip program. The job begins in the Spring 2026 semester and runs through the summer, and through the trips. Learn more or apply on Workday! Questions? Reach out to Tim Wylie t.wylie@bowdoin.edu. 

Walk & Talk (in the Snowy Woods) with new Bowdoin Friends! 
Friday, October December 12th; 10am, 11am, and 12pm times
Starting at the McKeen Center (Banister Hall)
Do you like snowy walks in the woods? Meeting new Bowdoin friends and having good conversations? Eating baked treats and drinking hot cocoa or tea? We have the event for you! You’ll be paired with another Bowdoin student, staff or faculty, given some conversation prompt cards and a map, and head out for a beautiful, short walk and talk through the Bowdoin Pines. Dress warmly, but when you return, we’ll have tea, hot cocoa, and treats in the McKeen Center Common Room!  

CommuniTEA
Friday, December 12th, 10:30am-12:30pm
McKeen Center Common Room 
Come unwind at the McKeen Center! We will have tea, treats, and puzzles. Stop by before or after a What Matters’ Walk & Talk in the Woods (see above)! More info here. 

Application cycle for McKeen Summer Fellowships is open!  
Learn more here: https://www.bowdoin.edu/mckeen-center/fellowships/index.html. Questions about the Global Citizens Fellowship, Maine Community Fellowship, or the Denning Summer Fellowship? Schedule a chat with Lex Davis ‘26 ldavis@bowdoin.edu. Questions about Bowdoin Public Service Summer Fellowships? Schedule a chat with Chloë Sheahan ‘26 csheahan@bowdoin.edu or Ruby Fyffe ‘26 rfyffe@bowdoin.edu. 

COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES

Hudson Institute Political Studies Summer Fellowship 
Info session Tuesday, December 9th  
Early decision application deadline is Friday, January 9th 
The Hudson Institute is offering is a fully funded fellowship in the theory and practice of politics in Washington, D.C. The fellowship includes: seminars on political thought and American history, workshops on public policy issues, many different speakers, and much more. Fellows participate free of charge, are given complimentary housing, and receive a stipend of $3,000 to offset travel food and other costs. Learn more and apply here. Want to nominate someone for the fellowship? Fill out this form. Questions? Contact Aaron Slutkin at aslutkin@hudson.org.  

Volunteer Opportunity: support the Androscoggin River with your videography skills!  
Starting ASAP! 
Brunswick, Maine 
Professor Duohovnikoff in Bowdoin's Biology Department is working on an effort to improve fish passage along the Androscoggin River over the Brunswick dam. He is the science director of a new group called Save the Andro, which has a bunch of great locally-generated science, data, images, and potential specialist interviews that could be put together in a compelling video. The group is looking for video production expertise, and seeks a videographer willing to volunteer their time & skills. They are ramping up operations with the goal to premiere a video in January. The video would mainly be used as a tool for educating a wide-ranging audience (schools, other town govt., general stakeholders, etc). Professor Duohovnikoff would be happy to do this in collaboration with a student so there would be guidance, support, and mentorship. Please contact him with any questions! You can learn more here. 

Collegiate Leadership Competition  
Spring 2026 
The Collegiate Leadership Competition (CLC) is a global program where students learn, test, and refine real leadership and followership skills—under time pressure, in teams, and with lots of feedback. Gain experiential leadership training and learn core skills like goal-setting, decision-making under pressure, inclusive teamwork, conflict navigation, and clear communication. Each weekly practice session pairs concepts with a hands-on challenge and in-depth debrief—so you learn it, try it under pressure, get feedback, and lock it in. Participate in competition with purpose: challenges reward preparation, collaboration, ethics, and execution—not just “being in charge.” You’ll gain: real, repeatable leadership habits; comfort making decisions in stressful environments; a tight-knit, accountable team experience outside the classroom; and concrete stories you can use for internships, fellowships, and interviews. Students from any major, class year, or prior experience level should join! Fill out this short formto sign up! Learn more about the CLC: https://collegiateleader.org. Questions? Email Brandon Rogers-Reed, Assistant Director of Student Activities: b.rogersreed@bowdoin.edu. 

Forest Foundation Summer Fellowship 
Info session on December 18th, 2025 
Apply between December 1st, 2025, and February 15th, 2026 
The Forest Foundation is accepting applications to its paid Summer Fellowship Program in Boston, MA, for the summer of 2026. The Foundation provides opportunities for undergraduate college students to gain experience and learn the inner workings of the nonprofit world through a comprehensive fellowship program including: (a) a 10-week internship at a nonprofit host agency; (b) leadership skill development and workshops about the nonprofit sector; (c) a grant-writing project; and (d) networking! To learn more and apply, visit: ffinterns.org. For a Q & A session about the Fellowship, sign up for & join the Zoom session on December 18th at 7:00pm ET.  

ADDITIONAL BOWDOIN OPPORTUNITIES

An Evening with Renee Blacken
Tuesday, December 9th, 7:00-8:00pm
Hubbard Hall, Room 208
Renee Blacken is a former collegiate rower at Bates College. Since then, she has become an endurance athlete, musician, yoga instructor, teacher, farmer, lover of the mountains, ocean adventurer, and physical and mental challenger and survivor. In January, Blacken will embark on a 3,200 mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean, aiming to be the third American woman to complete the crossing. She is doing the trip to raise awareness and funds for trauma recovery programs in northern New Hampshire. Please join us on December 9th to hear from Renee as she prepares for this epic journey. Learn more or register here. 

Gear Repair Night with the BOC
Wednesday, December 10th, 7:00-9:00pm
Schwartz Outdoor Leadership Center 
Do you have a puffy with a hole in it? Boots that aren't quite waterproof? A rip in the crotch of your Carhartt pants? Got an inflatable sleeping pad that leaks a tiny bit of air the entire night of camping, leaving you a bit too close to the ground 8 hours later? Join Caroline Berney and the BOC officers for a gear repair night! Stop by anytime from 7-9pm on Wednesday, Dec 10th, with outdoor gear or clothing that needs some love! Supplies and instruction will be provided. Learn more or register here. 

Book Launch and Discussion with Willi Lempert
Thursday, December 11th, 4:30-6:00pm
Nixon Lounge, 3rd floor, H-L Library
Please join us as we celebrate Professor Lempert's new book, "Dreaming Down the Track Awakenings in Aboriginal Cinema." Professor Lempert will be joined in conversation with Krista Van Vleet, Professor of Anthropology. Refreshments will be served. Open to the public. Learn more or register here. 

Want your event or opportunity featured in Catching Up with the Common Good? Email mbirnbau@bowdoin.edu with a blurb following the format you see above!